System and method for establishing real-time location

Abstract

A communication system with a master device configured to determine location information in real-time with respect to a portable device. The master device may direct one or more monitor devices to monitor communications that occur over a primary communication link. The monitor devices may sense characteristic information about the signal from the portable device, and communicate this characteristic information to the master device via an auxiliary communication link. The communication system may determine location of the portable device, authenticate the portable device, determine whether the portable device is authorized to allow or initiate an action, and command or enable an action with respect to equipment.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for establishing real-time location information about a portable device, the device comprising:
 a first communication interface operable to receive wireless communication transmissions from the portable device;   a second communication interface configured for communications with at least one fixed position device separate from the device;   wherein radio channel information is transmitted to the at least one fixed position device via the second communication interface;   wherein the radio channel information is received by the first communication interface from the portable device;   wherein the second communication interface is configured to obtain one or more device signal characteristics relating to a wireless communication received by the fixed position device from the portable device;   wherein the first communication interface includes a wireless interface;   wherein the second communication interface includes a wired interface; and   a controller operably coupled to the first communication interface and the second communication interface, wherein location information about the portable device is determined based on the one or more device signal characteristics.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the communications with the at least one fixed position device include one or more communicated signal characteristics of wireless communication transmissions received by the at least one fixed position device from the portable device. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the radio channel information enables the at least one fixed position device to receive wireless communication transmissions from the portable device. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to synchronize with at least one fixed position device. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to provide timing information to the at least one fixed position device. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to authorize the portable device. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first communication interface is a Bluetooth interface, and the second communication interface is a LIN bus interface. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the signal characteristics is associated with at least one of time of arrival, time difference of arrival, and time of flight. 
     
     
         9 . A method of establishing real-time location information about a portable device, the method comprising:
 receiving, in first communication interface of a device, wireless communication transmissions from the portable device,   communicating, via a second communication interface of the device, with at least one fixed position device separate from the device;   
       obtaining one or more device signal characteristics, in the second communication interface, relating to a wireless communication received by the fixed position device from the portable device, wherein a location of the portable device is determined based on the one or more device signal characteristics;
 transmitting radio channel information to the at least one fixed position device, wherein the radio channel information is received by the device from the portable device; and 
 wherein the first communication interface includes a wireless interface, and wherein the second communication interface is a wired interface. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the communicating includes communicating one or more communicated signal characteristics of wireless communication transmissions received by the at least one fixed position device from the portable device, wherein the location of the portable device is determined based on the one or more communicated signal characteristics. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the radio channel information enables the at least one fixed position device to receive wireless communication transmissions from the portable device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising synchronizing with the at least one fixed position device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising providing timing information to the at least one fixed position device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising authorizing the portable device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the first communication interface is a Bluetooth interface, and the second communication interface is a LIN bus interface. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the one or more device signal characteristics is associated with at least one of time of arrival, time difference of arrival, and time of flight. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one fixed position device is disposed on a vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . A device for transmitting one or more signal characteristics pertaining to a location of a portable device, the device comprising:
 an auxiliary communication interface configured for communications with a fixed position device separate from the device, the communications including radio channel information transmitted to the device from the fixed position device via the auxiliary communication interface, wherein the radio channel information is received by the fixed position device from the portable device, wherein the radio channel information enables the device to receive wireless communication transmissions from the portable device;   a primary communication interface operable to receive the wireless communication transmissions from the portable device based on the radio channel information, the primary communication interface configured to obtain the one or more signal characteristics relating to the wireless communication transmissions received by the device from the portable device;   wherein the primary communication interface includes a wireless interface;   wherein the auxiliary communication interface includes a wired interface; and   a controller operably coupled to the primary communication interface and the auxiliary communication interface, the controller configured to direct transmission of the one or more signal characteristics to the fixed position device via the auxiliary communication interface, wherein location information about the portable device is determined based on the one or more signal characteristics.   
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the device is configured to synchronize with at least one fixed position device. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the primary communication interface is a Bluetooth interface, and the auxiliary communication interface is a LIN bus interface.